ObjectiveTo explore the impact on the retention and effective rate of the mode of continuous guidance with wechat group in children with infantile spasms (IS) treated by ketogenic diet (KD).MethodsThe clinical data of 40 children who received KD treatment in Jiangxi Children’s Hospital from January 2017 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 23 males and 17 females, the average age was (19.90±13.10) months and the average course was (9.95±7.61) months. They were randomly divided into control group (20 cases) and observation group (wechat group continuity Guidance Group, 20 cases), and followed up one year to compare the retention rate and efficacy.ResultsThere was no statistical difference between the general data of the observation group and the control group (P>0.05). After 9 and 12 months of KD treatment, the retention and effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). And the seizure-free rate was higher than the control group (35% vs. 10%, 35% vs. 15%).ConclusionThis model of continuous guidance with wechat group can increase the KD retention rate of IS children, And increase the effective rate.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of medical counseling games on ketogenic diet therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy children. MethodsA total of 98 children with drug-resistant epilepsy admitted to the neurology ward of Shenzhen Children's Hospital from January 2023 to June 2024 who were treated with ketogenic diet for the first time were selected as the study objects by random number table method, and were divided into observation group (n=49) and control group (n=49). The control group received the traditional multidisciplinary team health education mode, while the observation group received the ketogenic diet treatment based on the multidisciplinary team health education mode and participated in the customized medical counseling games intervention. The time of children reaching ketosis, the knowledge level of ketogenic diet caregivers and the retention rate of children on ketogenic diet were compared between the two groups. ResultsThe time of ketosis in observation group was earlier than that in control group (P<0.05). The knowledge level of the main caregivers of ketogenic diet and the retention rate of children with ketogenic diet at 3 months and 6 months in observation group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe use of medical counseling games in the ketogenic diet for medically refractory epilepsy is an effective therapeutic strategy that facilitates the early attainment of ketosis in children with medically refractory epilepsy, improves the knowledge of caregivers on the ketogenic diet, improves retention of children on the ketogenic diet, and serves to optimize the effectiveness of clinical outcomes, which may contribute to the quality of life of children with medically refractory epilepsy.
Ketogenic diet (KD) is one of the effective treatments for refractory epilepsy (RE) and is recommended when anti-seizure medications (ASMs) are ineffective or less effective, inoperable or ineffective. The efficacy of the medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic diet is as good as the classical KD (CKD), which has been demonstrated in several retrospective, prospective, and randomized studies, and MCT is more ketogenic than long-chain triglycerides, so MCTD allows more carbohydrate and protein foods, which makes MCTD more palatable than CKD more palatable. Research advances in the mechanisms and clinical efficacy associated with MCTD in the treatment of refractory epilepsy are reviewed.
ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and compliance of children children with refractory epilepsy receiving ketogenic diet (KD) in outpatient department with children receiving KD treatment in inpatient department. MethodsA retrospective study of 44 children with intractable epilepsy receiving the modified classical ketogenic diets in outpatient department from June 2014 to December 2015, who were followed-up during the third, sixth and twelfth month. Records of epileptic seizures and adverse reactions were used to evaluate the efficacy and retention rate of inpatient department KD treatment in children with refractory epilepsy, and compared with 104 children receiving KD treatment in inpatient department at the same period. ResultsThirty-four of the forty-four children comleted observation after 12-month follow-up, 15 cases had been seizure freedom, 22 cases had more than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, 12 patients had less than 50% reduction in seizure frequency.The total effective rate of the KD therapy in outpatient department was 64.7%, and the retention rate was 71%. 18 of of the 104 children with KD treatment in inpatient department at the same period comleted observation after 12-month follow-up, 3 cases had been seizure freedom, 5 cases had more than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, 13 cases had less than 50% reduction in seizure frequency.The total effective rate of the KD therapy in inpatient department was 27.8%, and the retention rate was 17.3%. ConclusionThe KD therapy in outpatient department is effective to children with intractable epilepsy, and there is a highly efficacy and compliance of children receiving KD in outpatient department comparing with children receiving KD in inpatient department. Therefore, it's optional to children with refractory epilepsy who can't received KD by inpatient department because of insufficient number of beds.
The correlation between gut microbes and epilepsy is a hot research topic. This review aims to summarize the effects of Ketogenic diet (KD) on gut microbes and the preclinical and clinical progress of the use of Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) and Probiotics in the intervention of epilepsy to provide clinical reference. Gut microbes mediates the antiepileptic effect of KD. Many studies have found that bactericides decreased in epileptic patients, and KD can increase bactericides abundance, which may be one of its effective mechanisms. Both FMT and probiotics showed antiepileptic effects on epileptic model mice with different pathogenesis, suggesting that gut microbes is an important target for epilepsy treatment. Preliminary clinical studies of small samples suggest that the use of probiotics can effectively treat refractory epilepsy and autoimmune-associated epilepsy, and can improve comorbidities. No serious and long-term side effects of probiotics have been found in epileptic patients. In the future, more high-quality studies are needed to further clarify its efficacy and mechanisms, which could lead to new strategies for epilepsy treatment and refresh our understanding of the causes of epilepsy.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a refractory epileptic encephalopathy that mainly affects children, but can also involve adults, and is characterized by multiple seizure types, electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities, and mental retardation. This review focuses on the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, and treatment of LGS. In terms of etiology, LGS may be caused by a variety of factors such as abnormal brain development, perinatal brain injury, inherited metabolic diseases, and gene mutations. The pathogenesis involves multiple gene mutations that affect the balance of neuronal excitability and inhibition.LGS is diagnosed on the basis of multiple seizure types with an age of onset of less than 18 years, an EEG that shows widespread slow (1.5~2.5 Hz) spiking slow complex waves, and a triad of intellectual and psychosocial dysfunction. Therapeutically, LGS is treated with antiepileptic seizure medications (ASMs) , including valproate, lamotrigine, and rufinamide, but patients often develop resistance to ASMs. Non-pharmacological treatments include ketogenic diet, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) , and corpus callosotomy (CC) , which provide palliative treatment options for patients who have difficulty controlling seizures. Despite the variety of therapeutic options, the prognosis for LGS is usually poor, with patients often experiencing intellectual disability and seizures persisting into adulthood. This review emphasizes the importance of further research into the etiology and pathogenesis of LGS and the need to develop new therapeutic approaches to improve patients' quality of life and reduce the burden of disease.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Wechat combined with continuing nursing on the quality of life of epilepsy children with ketogenic diet, parents' mood and the time commitment of medical staff. MethodsData were collected from 140 children with intractable epilepsy with ketogenic diet admitted to the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University from November 2014 to June 2022, including 116 males and 24 females, with an average age of (8.42±2.44) years. The random sampling method was divided into control group (continuing nursing) 71 cases, intervention group (Wechat combined with continuing nursing) 69 cases. The quality of life of the children (QOLCE-16) in the two groups was compared before discharge and 3 months after discharge, as well as parental anxiety (SAS), depression (SDS), and the amount of time medical staff spent with both groups. ResultsThere was no difference in the quality of life and parental emotion between the two groups before intervention. After 3 months, the quality of life of the two groups was significantly improved [(43.59±10.00) vs. (40.14±10.44), P<0.05], and the QOLCE-16 score of the intervention group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The parental mood SAS and SDS in both groups were significantly improved [(37.19±2.90) vs. (50.85±3.76), (40.14±3.52) vs. (49.29±3.37), P<0.01], and the SAS and SDS scores of anxiety and depression of parents in the intervention group were lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Medical staff spent more time on intervention group [(136.17±7.43) vs. (65.55±7.48), P<0.01]. ConclusionContinuing nursing can improve the quality of life of children with ketogenic diet and the negative emotions of their parents. The combination of Wechat and continuing nursing can further strengthen this positive effect, and requires more time of medical staff.
Objective To investigate the compliance of ketogenic diet in children with refractory epilepsy and its correlation with the curative effect, and to provide support and basis for the implementation and improvement of the long-term management of ketogenic diet in this patient population. MethodsA total of 106 children and their families who were followed up on ketogenic diet in the Department of Pediatrics of Fudan University from March 2019 to January 2022 in the Department of Ketogenic Multidisciplinary Treatment (MDT) were selected by convenience sampling method. General data questionnaire and ketogenic compliance questionnaire were used for investigation and follow-up. ResultsThe mean compliance of ketogenic diet in refractory epilepsy children was (13.27±3.68). The compliance scores of ketogenic children with different therapeutic effects and cognitive functions were significantly different. The compliance score was significantly correlated with the therapeutic effect and cognitive level, that is, the higher the therapeutic effect of ketogenic diet in children with higher compliance score, the better the cognitive improvement. ConclusionThe compliance of ketogenic diet in children with refractory epilepsy needs to be further improved. Improving the compliance of ketogenic diet is of great significance for the efficacy of ketogenic diet. Medical staff should actively develop the corresponding intervention program and follow-up management mode to further improve the treatment compliance of children's families, improve the treatment effect and improve the quality of life of children's families.